Eastern Bluebird
Migration
On this outing I left the big long glass behind. Let me be frank, it is nice to have the very best glass available for bird shots but at times you want a scaled down version that is easy to carry with excellent sharpness and stabilization.
My normal outings for birds is a 400 or 600mm with tele-converters, usually a gimbal head tripod and a good crop body camera. My new crop factor body is a Nikon D500 which has been an excellent choice - it is an excellent camera for all around shooting. In those rare events you want a less tiring outing you should consider a lighter alternative. I think the new Nikkor 300mm PF Llens to be super sharp even with a 1.4 TC or even the 1.7 tc in good lighting when used on my Nikon D500. This setup allows me to cover a few extra miles without me wearing down in the process, simply put I leave the tripod at home and travel lighter.
The 300mm with the mentioned setup will give me a 765mm field of view, pretty impressive for such a light setup, and when I throw in the rapids harness and the carry is almost effortless. All the shots here are hand held below.